The present invention relates generally to cots, and more particularly to an improved design for a cot assembly. The invention further relates to cots having various advantageous features, including a continuous bedding surface without gaps, increased rigidity, and an improved low profile for stacking.
Cots provide a temporary sleeping surface positioned above the ground or floor. Preferably, the cot is easily moved and transported and/or stored for later use. Cots find a wide variety of uses in many different activities for different ages and sizes of people. In one use, cots are used for camping or other outdoor sleeping settings to avoid contact with the ground. In another use, cots are used indoors by children or preschoolers when it is desired to provide a comfortable sleeping surface that is raised above the floor. Cots are more advantageous than mats or other devices that lie directly on the floor or ground for many reasons. For example, they provide a more comfortable sleeping surface, allow air flow between the floor or ground and the sleeping surface, provide a sleeping surface for a person which is not in contact with the sleeping surface of another person, and do not expose the sleeping person to filth and/or pests which may be present on the floor or ground.
One problem associated with cots is the fact that, when assembled, they require more storage space and can be more cumbersome than mats or sleeping bags. In order to address this problem, various improvements have been made in the design of cots. U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,649 to Kelly provides a nestable cot with a frame that allows a plurality of cots to be nestably stacked one on top of another. Each cot includes four corner pieces, each corner piece configured to receive a pedestal from a corresponding one of the corner pieces stacked thereupon. Thus, the stacked cots occupy a space that has a total height that is less than the sum of the individual heights of each cot, and are more easily stored and handled.
While the ""649 patent is a step in the right direction in improving the design of cots, there remains room for additional improvements. One problem with prior art cots is related to the sleeping surface of the cots. Cots typically have a frame for supporting bedding material or fabric that extends between members of the frame. One of the problems with these prior art cots is that gaps are formed between the bedding material and the frame, and these gaps may pose a safety hazard, particularly for children. The potential for injury exists if a child inserts a hand, foot, head or other body part through the gap, where it may become stuck or may cause the child to trip and fall. Also, the cot is more susceptible to being damaged. Cots having such gaps, particularly at the corners, have been prevalent in the prior art and means have not been provided for ensuring against such gaps.
Another problem with prior art cots is related to maintaining the rigidity of the cots in a generally flat orientation. Most cots are based on a frame of multiple pieces connected to corner pieces or each other to form a frame. The tension on the frame from the bedding material can cause these pieces to warp or twist, imparting a warp or twist to the cot, inhibiting the cot from lying flat. This problem becomes worse over time as the cot is repeatedly subjected to loading.
While there have been various approaches to improving the design and construction of nestable cots, the need for improvement still remains. There is needed an improved cot that addresses the problems in the prior art in a reliable, safe, and efficient manner. The present invention satisfies these needs, among others.
The present invention provides a cot assembly that includes a frame, supporting corner pieces and bedding material. The frame is preferably of a one or two piece construction. Corner pieces support the frame above an external support surface. The bedding material extends across the interior of the frame and into the corner pieces without any gaps between the material, the frame and corner pieces, thereby protecting against injury which could otherwise result from the presence of such gaps. The continuous one or two piece frame maintains the cot""s rigidity while the corner pieces lower the cot""s profile for stacking. These unique features distinguish the present invention from the prior art and provide greater usable area within the perimeter, increased safety and utility, and other advantages in the use of the cot.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is a cot assembly that includes a frame shaped to define an interior area. The frame is preferably an elongated rod bent and curved to form a polygonal shape. The frame can be a continuous one-piece member welded together at its ends, or it may be formed in a one or two piece construction with one or two seams. The cot includes at least a number of corner pieces corresponding to the corners of the polygonal shape. At least a portion of the frame is received and held by each corner piece, preferably in a shaped groove. A pedestal extends downwardly from each corner piece to engage the floor or other supporting surface.
In one embodiment, for example, each corner piece includes an inwardly projecting portion extending into the interior area of the frame. Bedding material is connected with the frame and extends across the interior area of the frame and corner pieces such that no openings are formed in the interior area between the bedding material, the frame and the corner pieces. In a preferred form, each of the corner pieces includes top and bottom portions defining a slot therebetween for receiving the bedding material.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the cot assemblies can be stacked using the low-profile corner piece. Preferably a plurality of stackable cots can be vertically stacked such that each pocket in a cot assembly slidably receives a corresponding pedestal of the cot assembly placed atop it. Further, preferably each cot assembly frame has a height and the height of the stacked cots is only increased by approximately the height of the frame each time a cot is placed atop the stack.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cot assembly which is simple in construction and which does not present fasteners or the like which may be encountered by or removed by the user, particularly children.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cot assembly which includes a frame with a supported bedding material that extends fully within the frame to avoid gaps between the bedding material and frame, thereby preventing the potential for a person having a part of the body become engaged or trapped within such a gap.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a cot with increased rigidity and a low profile for stacking.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment.